Methods, systems and computer program products for providing internet protocol television set up

Abstract

A method of providing set up services to customer premise equipment (CPE), the CPE coupled to an internet protocol television (IPTV) network. The method includes operating a network element as a set up terminal server, the network element being part of a communications network. A request to initiate a set up process is received from the CPE. A set up server coupled to the communications network is accessed to initiate a set up application. The set up server communicates with the CPE through the network element to perform installation of the CPE and provisioning of the CPE.

1. A method of providing set up services to customer premise equipment (CPE), the CPE coupled to an internet protocol television (IPTV) network, the method comprising:
 storing user information on a set up server in response to the user purchasing the CPE; 
 operating a network element as a set up terminal server, the network element being part of a communications network; 
 receiving from the CPE a request to initiate a set up process, the request from a thin client application on the CPE, the network element executing client side processing for the CPE, the request generated in response to applying power to the CPE; 
 accessing the set up server separate from the network element coupled to the communications network to initiate a set up application, the set up server confirming that the user account is paid prior to initiating a connection between the CPE and the IPTV network; 
 wherein the set up server communicates with the CPE through the network element to perform installation of the CPE and provisioning of the CPE; and 
 receiving CPE status information indicating the status of the CPE to the network element in the IPTV network for diagnostic analysis; 
 wherein the CPE status information includes first status information received periodically at regular intervals and second status information sent upon a change in the CPE. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the CPE has a GUID, the set up server determining that the GUID corresponds to a user account prior to installation of the CPE. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the set up server provisions a connection between the CPE and the IPTV network. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  wherein:
 the set up server provisions the connection by providing the CPE with an IP address of an IPTV server. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the set up server performs diagnostics on the CPE. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5  wherein:
 the diagnostics include testing bandwidth at the CPE. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the set up server executes an interactive set up process with the CPE. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  wherein:
 the interactive set up process generates queries for a user of the CPE. 
 
     
     
       9. A computer program product for providing set up services to customer premise equipment (CPE) coupled to a television, the CPE coupled to an internet protocol television (IPTV) network, the computer program product comprising:
 a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for facilitating a method comprising: 
 storing user information on a set up server in response to the user purchasing the CPE; 
 operating a network element as a set up terminal server, the network element being part of a communications network; 
 receiving from the CPE a request to initiate a set up process, the request from a thin client application on the CPE, the network element executing client side processing for the CPR the request generated in response to applying power to the CPE; 
 accessing the set up server separate from the network element coupled to the communications network to initiate a set up application, the set up server confirming that the user account is paid prior to initiating a connection between the CPE and the IPTV network; 
 wherein the set up server communicates with the CPE through the network element to perform installation of the CPE and provisioning of the CPE; and 
 receiving CPE status information indicating the status of the CPE to the network element in the IPTV network for diagnostic analysis; 
 wherein the CPE status information includes first status information received periodically at regular intervals and second status information sent upon a change in the CPE. 
 
     
     
       10. The computer program product of  claim 9  wherein:
 the CPE has a GUID, the set up server determining that the GUID corresponds to a user account prior to installation of the CPE. 
 
     
     
       11. The computer program product of  claim 9  wherein:
 the set up server provisions a connection between the CPE and the IPTV network. 
 
     
     
       12. The computer program product of  claim 11  wherein:
 the set up server provisions the connection by providing the CPE with an IP address of an IPTV server. 
 
     
     
       13. The computer program product of  claim 9  wherein:
 the set up server performs diagnostics on the CPE. 
 
     
     
       14. The computer program product of  claim 13  wherein:
 the diagnostics include testing bandwidth at the CPE. 
 
     
     
       15. The computer program product of  claim 9  wherein:
 the set up server executes an interactive set up process with the CPE. 
 
     
     
       16. The computer program product of  claim 15  wherein:
 the interactive set up process generates queries for a user of the CPE.